It's true that there are a few answers depending on what you're considering. In the sports media, I'd say it's Chara now, and it has been a mix of Chara and Thomas. Both are easy stories to tell - Chara's a giant with a shoulder-mounted cannon, Thomas was the hard luck kid out of Hortio Alger stories.

To Bruins fans, it's probably Bergeron as the longest tenured guy and the almost-impeachable represntation of the crest - a "lunch bucket" guy with considerable skill who's responsible and who can chuck if he has to.

On billboards, it's probably Lucic because there's a cartoonish quality to him and to the way he represents what that traditional "Big Bad Bruin" identity.

In other words, there isn't one because there isn't one guy who's the best fit for all the roles a "face of the franchise" has to play. In 3 years, though, I imagine it will be Seggy Stardust.

Whenever you see a pre-game show and the Bruins are playing it starts with Chara on the screen. The 2011 Stanley Cup Video starts off with "Chiarelli first big splash in free agency was the anchor Zdeno Chara". It really is an opinion based question so some might say their favorite player but since 2006 for me it's Big Z and he is not my favorite player on the Bs right now.

All-Time face of the franchsie for me is Milt Schmidt! Two cups and a Hart Trophy as a player, coached the Bs, spotted then scouted Bobby Orr and as a GM steal of the century of a hockey trade- landing Espo, Stanfield and Hodge for nobody, coupled wit two more cups.

Whenever you see a pre-game show and the Bruins are playing it starts with Chara on the screen. The 2011 Stanley Cup Video starts off with "Chiarelli first big splash in free agency was the anchor Zdeno Chara". It really is an opinion based question so some might say their favorite player but since 2006 for me it's Big Z and he is not my favorite player on the Bs right now.

All-Time face of the franchsie for me is Milt Schmidt! Two cups and a Hart Trophy as a player, coached the Bs, spotted then scouted Bobby Orr and as a GM steal of the century of a hockey trade- landing Espo, Stanfield and Hodge for nobody, coupled wit two more cups.

NY Islanders for me is tough. Bossy, Trottier or Arbour ?

All time I have to agree it's Schmidt, even more so than Orr - he was even there for most the recent Cup. The guy got a pay cheque or was at least involved with club in some way (like the alumni charities) for the better part of 70 years.

For the Flames, it's always been Lanny McDonald for me, no one else is close. Iginla's a distant second. Selanne and Hawerchuk for the Jets. Bossy always comes to mind for the Isles, and with the Habs though I never saw him play, The Rocket is the first name to come to mind, same thing with Howe and the Wings.

All time I have to agree it's Schmidt, even more so than Orr - he was even there for most the recent Cup. The guy got a pay cheque or was at least involved with club in some way (like the alumni charities) for the better part of 70 years.

For the Flames, it's always been Lanny MacDonald for me, no one else is close.

Show a Calgary fan a pic of Lanny on the Montreal Forum ice with the cup in front of him laughing and it will probably bring the biggest smile you've ever seen.

It's true that there are a few answers depending on what you're considering. In the sports media, I'd say it's Chara now, and it has been a mix of Chara and Thomas. Both are easy stories to tell - Chara's a giant with a shoulder-mounted cannon, Thomas was the hard luck kid out of Hortio Alger stories.

To Bruins fans, it's probably Bergeron as the longest tenured guy and the almost-impeachable represntation of the crest - a "lunch bucket" guy with considerable skill who's responsible and who can chuck if he has to.

On billboards, it's probably Lucic because there's a cartoonish quality to him and to the way he represents what that traditional "Big Bad Bruin" identity.

In other words, there isn't one because there isn't one guy who's the best fit for all the roles a "face of the franchise" has to play. In 3 years, though, I imagine it will be Seggy Stardust.

BB - I'm just happy there are at least some Bruins in the running for face of the franchise. Imagine asking the same of the Leafs right now?

Great question, I think we'd all have different answers since most of us are different ages.

When I see/hear of teams different players come to mind:

Boston: Bourque/Neely Orr, Espo

Montreal: Roy Jean Belliveau

Quebec: Goulet/P. Stastny/Tugnutt (that one game, and the fact it's always on NESN)

Hartford: Sylvain Turgeon/Brass Bonanza

Detroit: Yzerman Gordie Howe

Toronto: Sundin/ Army, Dave Keon, Punch Imlach

Chicago: Belfour Bobby Hull, Stan Mikita

Flames: Vernon Lanny

Canucks: Bure Orland Kurtenbach(spelling?) Pat Quinn, burning cars

Jets: Hawerchuk

Sabres: Barrasso/Andreychuk, and I always think of Foligno jumping and for some reason the ice inside of the net being painted yellow. Rene Robert, Gilles Perrault, Rick Martin

Oilers: Gretzky

Kings: Gretzky

North Satrs: Modano Gump Worsely

Blues: Federko Glen Hall

Penguins: Mario Daryl Edestrand just kidding

Devils: Brodeur

Rangers: Richter The Cat........The GAG line

Yeah....the age thing does affect things doesn't it.

It certainly impacts it, but not entirely. I'm younger than a lot of posters here and I'd still say Richard, Howe, and Schmidt (not Hull with the Hawks because I think of him as a Jet - curse of a Winnipegger) heck, Sittler, would be my Leaf (Belfour would be my Hawk, Richter or Leetch would be my Ranger)

Allegiance also plays a role - My mom's an NYR fan - her favourite RANGER is Jean Ratelle.

I was at the pub tonight with 6 Canucks fans (watching the Wings game) and I asked them this question. Every person said Linden. I asked them how they thought non-Canucks fans would respond and four said Bure, one said Smyl, one said Naslund, and none said Linden - like I said, allegiance matters..

For all history, it's Orr. These days, you have to be a hardcore hockey fan to know who Milt Schmidt is.

If it's Milt Schmidt all time, then it's Bergeron today.

Schmidt is out my age group but i do have some of hockey cards. But he did coach and did take a GM role, but will go down in bruins history as one the best and toughest players. Sinden will also need to take notice, he did coach the bruins for a stanley cup, and still holds the record for being part of a team that holds the record for most consectutive play off seasons, (something the canadiens never came close too). Sinden was a very dictator type GM but had many changes to build a stanley cup team, but came short.